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Akoo Signs Licensing Agreement With Universal Music Enterprises

Music and videos from Universal Music Group artists now available through Akoo's m-Venue, a place-based media and marketing network fully interactive with consumers' mobile phones and Internet-connected mobile devices

Chicago, IL (Billboard Publicity Wire) January 15, 2007 -- Akoo International Inc. (www.akoo.com) announced it has signed a multi-year, non-exclusive licensing agreement with Universal Music Enterprises (UMe) that makes the Universal Music Group's catalog of top artists available through Akoo's m-Venue™, the first place-based media and marketing network fully interactive with consumers' mobile phones and Internet-connected mobile devices. UMe is a division of the Universal Music Group, the world's leading music company.

m-Venue is an out-of-home entertainment and marketing network that allows patrons of any participating venue to "activate" audio and video content - including music, music videos, and movie previews - using text messaging (SMS), the mobile Internet, or Wi-Fi. Customer audio and video selections are performed publicly on demand in designated multimedia zones within the venue.    

m-Venue has already delivered increased sales and competitive advantage to our early test partners

Akoo introduces m-Venue nationwide, following the platform's successful test launch in several real-world environments, where positive consumer usage and sales increase results were reported.

In addition to on-demand digital content, m-Venue offers day-parted ambient audio/video programming; a music ID and discovery feature, whereby users can identify the artist and name of any song playing in participating locations by sending a text message; and ultimately, a digital store where patrons can purchase and download digital content over-the-air to their mobile devices.

Since m-Venue is fully interactive with consumers' mobile phones and mobile devices, restaurants, retailers, and leisure entertainment establishments can also employ more effective mobile marketing campaigns, loyalty & rewards programs, and opt-in targeted marketing initiatives, which are available as value-add components designed to attract, convert, and retain target demographics in more innovative ways.

"m-Venue has already delivered increased sales and competitive advantage to our early test partners," said Niko Drakoulis, Akoo's chief executive officer. "Now, we're extremely pleased to offer music and music videos from Universal Music Group to make m-Venue an even more compelling place-based entertainment and marketing solution that resonates with mobile consumers."    

About Akoo International Inc.
Akoo's patent-pending digital media and marketing platform, m-Venue™, enables partners to offer place-based entertainment and marketing to mobile consumers visiting their establishments. For the first time, consumers can use their mobile phones or Internet-connected mobile devices to search, select, and "activate" in-location audio/video content and interactive entertainment on demand. Simultaneously, the m-Venue platform tracks consumers' usage behaviors and preferences to facilitate more effective mobile-based promotions, loyalty & rewards programs, and opt-in targeted marketing campaigns. Akoo was formed in 2001 and is based in Chicago. Visit http://www.akoo.com for more information.

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place-based media out-of-home networks digital music universal media group mobile phones background music services mobile marketing interactive media and marketing digital media

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